Mediation, Arbitration & Collaborative Law

It’s natural to not agree on everything, but that doesn’t mean your divorce or dissolution has to be settled in a court.

There are helpful out-of-court ways to work together to sort out your finances and children’s future – such as mediation, collaboration and arbitration.

Every family or relationship set-up is different and alternative resolution allows you to reach solutions that are more likely to stand the test of time, and, more importantly, avoid costly court action.

• You may want to arrive at a resolution quickly and avoid taking court action. We have the skills to help you reach a negotiated settlement through mediation, collaboration or arbitration – where the solutions can be reached promptly, the options more flexible and the costs can be more manageable
• By keeping matters out of court you can resolve issues in a non-confrontational way that can save time and costs
• We give clear, frank and reassuring advice to help you choose the best way forward. We help with matters of all sizes, including international divorces and where couples have extensive wealth or complicated business interests

Out-of-court paths to reach agreement
The courtroom can be an unpredictable and unfriendly place. There are three out-of-court methods that offer you more control and flexibility over the decisions being made.

• Mediation – Discussing issues between you and your ex-partner with an impartial mediator to help to reach an agreement.
• Collaborative negotiation – Openly discussing issues with your ex-partner, along with your lawyers, to try to negotiate an agreement together with the family’s best interests kept in mind at all times
• Arbitration – The outcome of your case is decided by a neutral arbitrator as if they were a judge in court

Decisions by arbitration are legally binding. Agreements reached collaboratively or by mediation become legally stamped as part of a court order

Out-of-court agreements don’t work for everyone. If one person refuses to be honest about the financial circumstances, or are not prepared to try to come to an agreement, then your case will probably need to be decided in court

The way we help you
Whichever route is taken – in court or out of it – our experienced lawyers will support you, defend you and equip you with the information, counsel and backing needed to reach a solution that works for you. We’ll also give you clear information about the costs at the start, to help you manage your outgoings.

Our mediation and collaboratively-trained lawyers make sure discussions and negotiations run smoothly and decisively to the benefit of both you, your ex-partner and your family. When it’s all over, we guarantee you will feel liberated and have a positive plan for the future.